3 out of 5

Produced by: Michael Krassner

Label: Thrill Jockey

Perishable Records will always be “home” to Califone, to me, just as the kitchen sink electro-folk clatter they developed there will always be their sound.  I despaired a bit when Perishable grew to encompass Joan of Arc, a band I hadn’t given much time to previously, and further despaired when the label faded and Califone found themselves on Thrill Jockey.  It made enough sense, being another Chicago label with plenty of mates with albums on the imprint, but it just didn’t match that version of Califone I had stuck in my head.

Their first album for the label, Quicksand / Cradlesnakes, somewhat confirmed that worry, as it was a much more subdued affair than I was used to, even if it was absolutely a continuance of the more organic sound found on the group’s last studio Perishable release, Roomsound.  Heron King Blues followed a year later, and though uneven, began (followed by subsequent albums) what I felt was a nice return to form, without shedding the collective vibe lead Tim Rutili had been working toward.  Being that first step, the album hovers in a couple of modes and definitely hits some peaks, but also exemplifies a non-committal style that prevents most of the tracks from really hitting home.

Apparently based on a recurring dream Rutili had, Heron King Blues’ themes and overall style has that sort of circular, wandering nature of a dream: lyrics often repeat ad nauseum; sounds fade in and blend into other sounds.  The production is quite excellent, capturing that unique blend of acoustic and processed instrumentation Califone employs, though Brian Deck’s ear for percussion is missed.  We essentially bounce between lush and layered guitar based tracks – opener Wingbone is perfection – and tracks that have an electronic backbone, somewhat closer to their original style, but not as cold.  The initial trio of tracks are great examples of both styles, with the seven minute Sawtooth Svng A Cheater’s Song building up to some awesome mish-mash at track’s end.  Getting into the album’s middle with the rustling Apple, the ideas slow down a bit, though 2 Sisters Drvnk On Each Other is damn near funky, and like Sawtooth, uses its runtime to build on itself.  Unfortunately, this gives way to the most intriguing – and then ultimately disappointing – title track, which kicks off with some dirty-ass blues which sound delightful, fully synthesizing the two aforementioned modes, but it loses its way after a few minutes and never really recovers.  It feints toward something climactic, but sounds more like improvisational diddling.  Which goes on for about ten minutes.  It’s not uninteresting, but it’s not quite the closer the album needs to seal the deal, and is then backed by the instrumental Outro, which doesn’t add much to the equation.

The denseness of the album is absolutely impressive, and key moments are heart-warmingly Califonye.  But Heron King Blues still doesn’t come across as confident as the group’s early work, as Rutili still sounds like he’s trying to figure out what, exactly, he wants his ongoing project to be.